CAUGHT ON CAM: train strikes flatbed 18 wheeler! [Archive]

SilverBullet432

10-09-13, 16:30

This happened this morning in a city near mine, the train slammed into the rig and dragged it 1/2 a mile before coming to a stop. There were no injuries thank goodness, but as of this minute, they are still trying to remove the trailer from the train. I dont know what the hell the dumbass was doing on the tracks. Due to the oil boom, there have been a lot of people coming in to our area to drive trucks. Some of them don't even have lisences to. (Scary i know!)

http://vidcache.newsoverwireless.com/kosa/pmd-2/KOSA-6457698.mp4

HackerF15E

10-09-13, 17:51

I always wonder what the engineer on that train is thinking as it is barreling down on a collision like that.

Moose-Knuckle

10-09-13, 17:53

I always wonder what the engineer on that train is thinking as it is barreling down on a collision like that.

That he is going to retain his title as "Chicken" champ.

Ryno12

10-09-13, 17:58

I always wonder what the engineer on that train is thinking as it is barreling down on a collision like that.

"Oh ****! Oh ****! Oh ****!"

Eurodriver

10-09-13, 18:05

jaxman7

10-09-13, 18:13

At least it was a log truck. I despise those things. They are like a plague down here on country 2 lane highways.

-Jax

BBossman

10-09-13, 18:20

I'm not sure about over there, but here trains travel at.....10 miles an hour. If that.

Now I know a big ass, heavy train travelling at 10 miles an hour still takes a loooonnnggggg time to stop. But he seemed to be going pretty fast. Is that normal?

P.S. Not blaming train conductor at all. Just wondering.

I have a friend who works for CSX "Maintenace of Way", he's told me that engineers almost never apply emergency braking due to the very real chance of derailing cars. He said that in most cases they will apply the breaks but depending on whats on the track its sometimes best to hit it with enough force to knock it clear to further avoid a derailment. I don't know anyone who could confirm the information, but it seems plausible.

kry226

10-09-13, 18:20

montanadave

10-09-13, 18:21

At least it was a log truck. I despise those things. They are like a plague down here on country 2 lane highways.

-Jax

Looked like casing or drill pipe to me. Regardless, what a mess.

Years ago I was pulling a pipe trailer for my brother with about 2000' of drill pipe when the trailer started fishtailing on me going down I-90. In my worst nightmares, that's kind of what I imagined it would have looked like had I lost that trailer. Fortunately, I was able to get it shut down without incident. I did, however, come very close to shitting my pants.

Ryno12

10-09-13, 18:28

Years ago I was pulling a pipe trailer for my brother with about 2000' of drill pipe when the trailer started fishtailing...

That's a pretty quick way to lay a lot of pipe. ;)

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dash1

10-09-13, 18:30

I always wonder what the engineer on that train is thinking as it is barreling down on a collision like that.

"Wishing he was home in bed dreaming about Casey Jones".

Hmac

10-09-13, 18:34

I have a friend who works for CSX "Maintenace of Way", he's told me that engineers almost never apply emergency braking due to the very real chance of derailing cars. He said that in most cases they will apply the breaks but depending on whats on the track its sometimes best to hit it with enough force to knock it clear to further avoid a derailment. I don't know anyone who could confirm the information, but it seems plausible.

I heard a Burlington Northern specialist speak at a regional Coroner's conference a few years ago, and he said that same thing. The other thing that I recall is that he ran through a mathematical correlation that demonstrated that a 20-car train hitting a car on the tracks had about the same energy relationships as a car hitting a soft drink can in the road.

SilverBullet432

10-09-13, 18:39

Looked like casing or drill pipe to me. Regardless, what a mess.

Years ago I was pulling a pipe trailer for my brother with about 2000' of drill pipe when the trailer started fishtailing on me going down I-90. In my worst nightmares, that's kind of what I imagined it would have looked like had I lost that trailer. Fortunately, I was able to get it shut down without incident. I did, however, come very close to shitting my pants.

5" casing pipe. the pipe alone was worth at least $85,000

what i was told as a possible cause, is that he was crossing when the arms came down across the trailer and didnt allow him to cross. there are several pipe yards in that area.

Honu

10-09-13, 18:40

kinda wonder what makes anyone STOP on train tracks ? and not short if traffic is ahead ? just amazes me

Pork Chop

10-09-13, 18:48

Ryno12

10-09-13, 19:03

We're on the UP main line, and 200 car coal trains rumble through here at 60 mph. Through towns and all. I wasn't aware they slow down for anything, ever.
They average one every 3-5 minutes, so if you put something in their way, it won't be there long. I've seen them try to stop for things like that, but 55,000,000 lbs takes MILES to stop.

They're gearing up to start reusing a rail that's been defunct for about 10 years now. This week they've been replacing ties. It's a stones throw from my house and I'm really looking forward to it.

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HackerF15E

10-09-13, 19:48

5" casing pipe. the pipe alone was worth at least $85,000

what i was told as a possible cause, is that he was crossing when the arms came down across the trailer and didnt allow him to cross. there are several pipe yards in that area.

What RR crossing gate is so strong that a truck could not break it by driving right through it?

The damage sure as heck would have been less severe/costly than what ended up happening.

FromMyColdDeadHand

10-09-13, 19:56

What RR crossing gate is so strong that a truck could not break it by driving right through it?

The damage sure as heck would have been less severe/costly than what ended up happening.

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe he was on the phone. Maybe he is the kind of guy that lions, tiger and bears used to cull from the herd.

There was a school bus accident in Chicago (IIRC) a few years ago. Substitute driver didn't believe the kids when they started screaming that they weren't clear of the tracks. Sometimes stupid hurts, but the wrong people.

Pork Chop

10-09-13, 19:59

What RR crossing gate is so strong that a truck could not break it by driving right through it?

The damage sure as heck would have been less severe/costly than what ended up happening.

People vapor lock over trains. There's a crossing 1/4 mile from our shop. Last year, a truck started across and the arm came down between his cab and trailer. The guy was still trying to lift the arm out of the way WHEN THE BIG, SCREAMING COAL TRAIN HIT HIM!

The damn arms snap right off, BY DESIGN!

Darwin was on to something.

Texas42

10-09-13, 20:01

Wasn't so long ago a bunch of veterans got killed the same way.

SilverBullet432

10-09-13, 20:41

Wasn't so long ago a bunch of veterans got killed the same way.

Yea bro i was going to post that link as well. Since it happened in the same town with only a few month's span. After seeing this, i can now see the horrid death they experienced as the train slammed into the flatbed they were riding on.

SilverBullet432

10-09-13, 21:03

Here is a new link with a pic of the aftermath:

http://www.cbs7kosa.com/news/details.asp?ID=49906

The driver said his load bottomed out and there was nothing he could do.

HackerF15E

10-10-13, 10:17

The driver said his load bottomed out and there was nothing he could do.

Well, that's a pretty good reason to not move the truck. That being said, his route planning leaves something to be desired.

SilverBullet432

10-10-13, 10:50

Well, that's a pretty good reason to not move the truck. That being said, his route planning leaves something to be desired.

ive passed by that crossing a few times before, its a rather steep crossing.

TacticalSledgehammer

10-10-13, 11:19

I work for a large class 1 railroad and have always feared hitting something like that where it's load could penetrate the windshield. Our glass is supposedly bullet proof, but I really don't want to test it. Other than that the only other things that would be scary to me is a large boulder, bad rail, or another train.

People panic when they see a train coming. It provokes a knee jerk reaction to beat it to the crossing. Strangely enough animals are the same way.

Big A

10-10-13, 11:41

"Wishing he was home in bed dreaming about Casey Jones".

"Wide eyed woman half a mile ahead. Thinking 'bout broken bones"...:cool:

Avenger29

10-10-13, 12:07

People panic when they see a train coming. It provokes a knee jerk reaction to beat it to the crossing. .

Remember this retardedness?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMvtDNATP04

SilverBullet432

10-10-13, 12:09

Remember this retardedness?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMvtDNATP04

2trainzzzz!!! damn! wonder what the @#$# was going through her mind..

TacticalSledgehammer

10-10-13, 12:17

Oh yeah. I've had people do that when I've only had 2-3 locomotives and no cars. They'd risk their life for a 30 second wait.

T2C

10-10-13, 15:29

I always wonder what the engineer on that train is thinking as it is barreling down on a collision like that.

The wife's cousin is an engineer and he told me something like this is his worst nightmare. On two occasions he has had people commit suicide by stopping their car on the tracks in front of him.

SilverBullet432

10-10-13, 15:32

Must be a horrible thing to see/clean up.

jpmuscle

10-10-13, 15:58

The wife's cousin is an engineer and he told me something like this is his worst nightmare. On two occasions he has had people commit suicide by stopping their car on the tracks in front of him.

Last summer we had a local teenager do something similar. But the individual simply walked out in front of the on coming train and laid down on the tracks. :eek:

jerrysimons

10-10-13, 18:51

I always wonder what the engineer on that train is thinking as it is barreling down on a collision like that.

"Don't do it, don't do it, don't do it..."

And "Oh ****, is my cell phone off?"
FRA pulls phone records after grade crossing collisions and will fire him faster than he can blink if his phone was merely turned on.

If it is a fuel tanker:

"Oh ****!"

If it is another train:

He is not thinking anything but trying to get out the door fast enough to bail after dumping the emergency brakes and hoping the train is going slow enough by the time he jumps not to kill himself from the fall.

The_War_Wagon

10-10-13, 19:26

What RR crossing gate is so strong that a truck could not break it by driving right through it?

The damage sure as heck would have been less severe/costly than what ended up happening.

Look at the video again - the trailer got high-centered - stuck - on the tracks. Usually there's a warning given to the truckers, from companies near such tracks, about NOT using that particular crossing - but the GPS that the TRUCKERS are glued to, WON'T tell them that... :rolleyes:

SilverBullet432

10-10-13, 20:22

Look at the video again - the trailer got high-centered - stuck - on the tracks. Usually there's a warning given to the truckers, from companies near such tracks, about NOT using that particular crossing - but the GPS that the TRUCKERS are glued to, WON'T tell them that... :rolleyes:

Very true, like i said, there are pipeyards nearby. Im sure this guy was trying to find an easier route.

TacticalSledgehammer

10-10-13, 21:38

"Don't do it, don't do it, don't do it..."

And "Oh ****, is my cell phone off?"
FRA pulls phone records after grade crossing collisions and will fire him faster than he can blink if his phone was merely turned on.

If it is a fuel tanker:

"Oh ****!"

If it is another train:

He is not thinking anything but trying to get out the door fast enough to bail after dumping the emergency brakes and hoping the train is going slow enough by the time he jumps not to kill himself from the fall.

Exactly. We almost ran over a 4-5 yr old boy yesterday pushing his bike along side the tracks (60mph track). Where his parents were is beyond me. It seems like I experience something of this nature about every other trip.

Mac5.56

10-10-13, 22:54

I have a friend who works for CSX "Maintenace of Way", he's told me that engineers almost never apply emergency braking due to the very real chance of derailing cars. He said that in most cases they will apply the breaks but depending on whats on the track its sometimes best to hit it with enough force to knock it clear to further avoid a derailment. I don't know anyone who could confirm the information, but it seems plausible.

Isn't that the same philosophy as: It's better to kill a deer then to swerve and flip your vehicle?

I know nothing about the rail industry but safety procedures are all about mitigating risk and minimizing accidents in the best, most logical and statistically plausible way possible. In many of the industries I have had contact with over the years this has meant in certain incidents that letting someone possible die or suffer is safer for the group then doing something rash.

In regards to trains I always figured hitting the car and killing the occupants was way better in the long run the causing a derailment.

AKDoug

10-11-13, 01:43

The only place to high center a flatbed like in that situation is at the landing gear. Getting high centered on your landing gear is usually the result of the driver being too damn lazy to crank it up.

I drive a rig almost identical to that, I've been guilty of it myself. I was very embarrassed one day in front of our local truck stop when I ground out and stuck my gear on the center of the highway. Good thing there wasn't much traffic and I didn't hurt he gear. I cranked it up quick and got out of there. That day I vowed never to be too lazy to crank it all the way up.

I've also taken out a railroad crossing arm out. A bus was stopped at the tracks and I was behind him. He did his open the door and look thing and pulled away. I looked both ways and started to move. It takes a while to get 88,000# moving and all the sudden the arm starts to drop (can't see the train around the corner) I just said **** it and rolled on, taking the arm with me. Train roared by just fine. I called in to 911 to report the incident (very rural area) and waited for commercial vehicle enforcement and the R.R. to show up. I was honest about what happened and I didn't receive a citation and the R.R. didn't charge me for the arm.

Another scary thing is the engine management system on some engines. I blew a coolant hose while crossing an intersection and the engine management system shut the whole works off 15 seconds later. 15 seconds isn't enough time to clear anything in a truck that size from a stop. Luckily the truck restarted and ran for another 15 seconds. Two of those sessions got me out of the intersection and on the side of the road. I would have shit if this happened on the tracks.

Avenger29

10-11-13, 12:42

In regards to trains I always figured hitting the car and killing the occupants was way better in the long run the causing a derailment.

Especially if the train is carrying serious hazmat, like the Graniteville SC Norfolk Southern train that derailed several years ago carrying chlorine.

Besides even with throwing the train into emergency the occupants still ****ed anyway.

SilverBullet432

10-11-13, 13:26

Especially if the train is carrying serious hazmat, like the Graniteville SC Norfolk Southern train that derailed several years ago carrying chlorine.

Besides even with throwing the train into emergency the occupants still ****ed anyway.

theyre ****ed no matter what bro. Not even worth causing a possible derailment if you know youre not going to stop in time...

UNLESS: youre in this situation: :haha:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qLlUgilKqms